The Citroën CX is a large, front-engined, front-wheel-drive executive car/luxury car manufactured and marketed by Citroën from 1974 to 1991. Production models were either a standard wheelbase or a stretched, more luxurious, four-door fastback saloon, as well as a station wagon (estate), on the longer wheelbase. The CX is known for its hydropneumatic self-leveling suspension system (continued and improved from its DS predecessor), and its (at the time) low 0.36 drag coefficient, normally noted as a vehicle's in French. Restyled as 'CX', the model name underscored this.
Voted the 1975 European Car of the Year, the CX has been described by some enthusiasts as the last "real Citroën" before Peugeot took control of the company in 1976.International integration, market structure, and prices Af Yves Bourdet, page 108 The CX was also the final successful model of the "big Citroën" era, dating back to 1934.
History The CX was launched at the 1974 Paris Motor Show. Citroën was unable to schedule right-hand drive production of the car until well into 1975. The CX was initially a huge success in Europe, with more than 132,000 being produced in 1978. It found customers beyond the loyal DS customer base and used the technology of Citroën's advanced grand touring personal luxury car, the SM. Unlike its principal competitors, the CX did not have worldwide distribution—the cost of development and improvements had to be met from a geographically small sales base. According to Driving & Motoring MonthDriving & Motoring Month road test the CX "provides a startlingly intelligent set of solutions to modern motoring problems".Vicar, A (1974) Driving and Motoring Month, pp23-28.
Design The CX's flowing lines and sharp Kammback rear were designed by auto stylist Robert Opron, resembling its precursor the GS. Citroën had been using a wind tunnel for many years, and the CX was designed to perform well in aerodynamic drag, with a coefficient of drag of 0.36. Indeed, the car's name of CX refers to the French term for drag coefficient, or coefficient ('C') along the X-axis ('x', being the longitudinal). A notable feature was the concave rear window, designed to clear rain from the rear window without the need for a rear window wiper.
Mechanically, the car was one of the most advanced of its time, combining Citroën's hydro-pneumatic integral self-leveling suspension, speed-sensitive DIRAVI fully-powered steering (first introduced on the Citroën SM), and a uniquely effective interior design that did away with steering column stalks, allowing the driver to reach all controls while both hands remained on the steering wheel. A Citroën design principle was that turning signals should not cancel themselves—this should be a conscious decision of the driver. The CX perpetuated this feature, which is not shared by virtually any other contemporary automobile, limiting the CX's potential use as a rental car.
The ability of the CX suspension to soak up large undulations and yet damp out rough surfaces resulted in a consistent ride quality when empty or fully laden. The suspension was attached to sub-frames that were fitted to the body through flexible mountings, to improve the ride quality and reduce road noise. The British Car magazine described driving a CX as hovering over road irregularities, much like a ship traversing above the ocean floor. The constant ground clearance component of this suspension was used under license by Rolls-Royce on the Silver Shadow, and the Bentley T series. The Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9 was not built under license, but copied the Hydropneumatic suspension principles after the less effective Mercedes-Benz 600 Air suspension installation.
The CX has a transverse engine arrangement, in contrast to the longitudinal mid-engine layout of the Traction Avant and DS. This brings multiple benefits: significant mechanical packaging space savings (the CX is shorter than the DS); dramatically less engine noise in the cabin (Traction Avant and DS engines are partially in the cabins of those cars); and, improved access for maintenance of many under-bonnet items.
The CX saloon was always of a fastback design, with a trunk lid hinged beneath the rear window, like many prior fastbacks from the late 1940s until the CX's era – but unlike almost every other 1970s sedan, which either offered a hatchback body, like the successful Volkswagen PassatThe 1974 first generation Passats all had the same rakishly sloped rear profile, but because VW were unsure of buyers' preferences, they were initially offered in both 2- and 4-door fastbacks, and in 3- and 5-door liftbacks. and Saab 900, or exclusively hatchbacked contemporaries as the Rover SD1 and Renault 20/30.
Aftermarket hatchback conversions to the CX were offered by Caruna and Beutler. Citroën's own 1970 compact GS, and the small Alfa Romeo Alfasud were also initially released as fastback sedans, but both received hatchbacks in the late 1970s.
Launch At launch in 1974, the CX was rushed to market, with some teething troubles. Some very early models did not have power steering and proved difficult to drive as the CX carries 70% of its weight over the front wheels.
Originally, the CX was developed as a rotary-engined car—with several negative consequences. The CX engine bay is small because rotary engines are compact, but the Comotor three-rotor rotary engine was not economical and the entire rotary project was scrapped the year the CX was introduced. Citroën went bankrupt in 1974, partly due to a series of investments like Comotor that didn't result in profitable products. Production versions of the CX were powered by a range of inline four cylinder engines - only the very rare GTi Turbo (1985–89) ever had the engine power to match the capabilities of the chassis. At launch, the carburetor CX was positioned below the DS 23 Pallas Injection Electronique and the SM Injection Electronique.
There was a choice between three differently powered versions. The "Normale" CX car came with a 1985 cc version of the four cylinder engine from the predecessor model with a claimed maximum output of , which was slightly more than had been available from the engine when fitted in the DS. The "Economique" version of the car (reflecting the continuing impact of the 1973 oil price shock) came with the same engine as the "Normale", but the 4th gear ratio was changed, along with the final drive ratio, giving rise to a 7 km/h (4 mph) reduction in top speed in return for usefully improved fuel economy. More performance came from the "CX 2200", fitted with a 2175 cc version of the engine and a twin carburetor, resulting in a claimed maximum output of .
Contemporary reports also indicated that the cost of setting up a new production facility for the CX, on the northern edge of Paris, at Aulnay-sous-Bois, also played a role in undermining the company's finances to the point where it was obliged to surrender its independence to the more financially cautious Peugeot company. On 12 July 2012, PSA announced the permanent closure of the Aulnay-sous-Bois plant.Wall Street Journal 13 July 2012
Development Despite its early success in the European market, the CX development did not keep pace with its competitors in the luxury and executive market.
The parent company, PSA Peugeot Citroën, was fielding three cars in the executive car segment, the Peugeot 604, the Talbot Tagora and the CX, all competing for PSA's scarce financial resources. PSA's retreat from this segment was influenced by these diffused efforts.The Wall Street Journal "French Begin New Luxury Car Drive" Page B3, 2 October 2012
In 1974, the DS featured a fuel-injected 2.3-litre engine, while the new CX 2000 generated , giving it acceleration from of 12 seconds. The CX 2200 improved on this, and eventually the 2400 engine (the 2347 cc unit as used in the DS) arrived; originally only in the Prestige. A regular CX 2400 arrived at the 1976 Paris Salon, subsequent to the discontinuation of the CX 2200.
In 1977, the CX GTi received a modern Bosch L-Jetronic injection system, with .
In late 1979, the venerable, pushrod 2-litre engine was replaced by the new Douvrin engine, developed together with Renault. The engine, coded Type 829, was mounted at a 15-degree forward angle and revolved in the opposite direction of the Renault type. The dipstick was relocated to be at the front of the engine, along with a host of other, minor differences. The new CX 2000 was available in Reflex and Athena trims, replacing the earlier Confort and Super. The new engine was quieter, smoother running, more economical, had slightly more power at , while costing less than the old DS engine. The new CX 2000 was the first French petrol car which was able to drive from Paris to Marseille on a single tank of fuel. At the same time, the CX Limousine was introduced: this combined the Prestige's longer bodyshell with the new diesel engine, with equipment equivalent to that of the mid-level Athena.
In 1981, factory rustproofing and a fully automatic transmission were added.Car Magazine March 1980
In 1984, a new, turbo-powered 2.5 L diesel engine did make the CX Turbo-D 2.5 the fastest diesel sedan in the world, able to reach speeds up to . Diesels have accounted for more than half the market for executive cars in France.
In 1985, the GTi Turbo petrol model, with a top speed of over , gave the CX the powerful engine that finally used the full capabilities of the chassis.
The CX eventually acquired a reputation for high running costs, which over time cut sales. The components standard to any automobile (steel, door hinges, starter motors, electrical connections, etc) proved troublesome in service, not the advanced components.Car Magazine Long Term Test CX Familiale, August 1978 The quality of construction improved too slowly to eliminate this perception.
Although the minor 1985 Series 2 changes did create initial interest from press and public alike, they did little to revive sales, with 35,000 units being produced in 1986 and 1987.
While the DS achieved its greatest sales success at age 15 (1970)"Original Citroen DS" by John Reynolds , page 135 the CX design was subject to more intense competitive pressures, sales peaking at age 4 (1978). Other automakers succeeded in using the CX design as a template for improvement. In particular, the Audi 100 introduced an aerodynamically restyled variant in 1983.
1,170,645 CXs were sold from 1974 to 1991.
Racing
Despite the challenging finances of Citroën at the time of launch, the CX was entered in numerous rally driving events, like Tour du Senegal and Paris-Dakar, winning five events outright.
One notable achievement was in the 1977 London–Sydney Marathon road race, where driver Paddy Hopkirk, driving a CX 2400 sponsored by Citroën's Australian concessionaire, staged a come-from-behind sprint to obtain third place.
The CX competed and finished the 2022 Dakar Rally and 2023 Dakar Rally.
Replacements Successful competitors in this market segment have adopted a cycle of redesign and substantial improvement every seven years. Despite the success of the CX design (and the company's unbroken legacy of dominance in this segment stretching back to 1934)Classic & Sports Car, July 2010 pp 144–151 there was no new and improved "big Citroën" model on the horizon by 1981. CX sales began to slide and, apart from a slight revival after the 1985 facelift, never recovered.
Citroën tried to operate independently and design a CX replacement that updated the flowing CX design (in 1980 and again in 1986). Each time, the parent company PSA Peugeot Citroën killed the project and fired the Citroën designers responsible.
Citroën did incur the expense of designing an entirely new petrol four-cylinder engine in 1984 for the top-of-the-range cars, but the market demanded either inline-six or V6 engines.